“As soon as he learns that Guru Maharaj is dead, now I am so advanced I can kill guru and become guru. Then he is finished.” (Srila Prabhupada 1976).
“I am the initiator guru, and you should be the instructor guru by teaching what I am teaching and doing what I am doing. This is not a title, but you must actually come to this platform. This is what I want.” (To Madhudvisa 4 Aug, 1975)
Remembering these lines, I offer my obeisance to HDG AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada. I want to discuss about a topic which is widely discussed all over the world i.e., about the Guru Issue. The above selected lines are two strange quotes which are perfectly opposite to each other. The first quote tells about how not to become guru and the second quote tells about how to become guru. GBC members always refer to the 2nd quote and IRM or ritviks refer to the first, why not both?
Let me take the first quote, Prabhupada realized that he will be killed by his devotees that’s the reason he gave a hint. “Kill guru, Kill self” example Tamala Krishna Goswami died a horrible death, Kirtanananda swami in jail and Jaypataka swami is almost on the death bed.
So are they really gurus or the ritviks?
Referring to July 9th, 1977 letter I think ritviks is right but on the other hand the second quote given about refers to something else. July 9th, 1977 letter is one of the genuine letters which can tell lot of things like in the letter there are lines which tells about how ISKCON should run after the death of Prabhupada. The lines like
Srila Prabhupada indicated that soon He would appoint some of His senior disciples to act as ritvik - representative of the acarya
The newly initiated devotees are disciples of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad
The name of a newly initiated disciple should be sent by the representative who has accepted him or her to Srila Prabhupada, to be included in His Divine Grace's "Initiated Disciples" book.
So this tells the whole story like how ISKCON should run under the guidance of Ritviks and the main Guru will be Prabhupada himself. But then in the given second quote Prabhupada tells that you should become “instructor guru” and analyzing it tells the same story. I have seen so many of the gurus referring to the second quote saying Prabhupada said to become Guru and I’m guru but is that a fact, NO. What’s the first line? Prabhupada is the Initiator, so Prabhupada is the main guru.
So let’s stand up and fight for Prabhupada and save ISKCON from these fake gurus.
